Upholstering apparatus



(No Model.) 2 Sh eets-Sheet 1. W. J., T. F., P. H. 8; J. A. KELLY.

UPHOLSTERING APPARATUS.

Patented Feb. 15, 1898.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2, W. J., T. F., P. H. 85 J. A. KELLY.

UPHOLSTERING APPARATUS.

No. 599,239. Patented Feb. 15, 1898.

UNITED STATES rricn.

PATENT WILLIAM J. KELLY, THOMAS F. KELLY, PETER H. KELLY, AND JOSEPH A. KELLY, OF CLINTON, IOWVA.

'UPHOLSTERING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,239, dated February 15, 1898. Application fil d October 12, 1897. $eria1No. 654,978. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM J. KELLY, THOMAS F. KELLY, PETER I-I. KELLY, and JOSEPH A. KELLY, citizens of the United States, residing at Clinton, in the county of Clinton and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Upholsterin g Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to upholstering apparatus, and has for its object to provide a mold or former that will greatly simplify and facilitate the operations required in the stuffing and sewing or tufting of cushions for couches, carriage seats and backs, chairs, and similar articles of furniture, and for the making of mattresses.

Our invention consists in features of construction and novel combinations of parts in upholstery apparatus, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure 1 represents one form of our improved upholstering apparatus in part side elevation and part vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a plan of the apparatus with some of the hinged cover-sections thrown open. Fig. 3 is an enlarged part sectional detail view showing the construction of the moldcompartments. Fig. 4 is a part plan of our upholstering apparatus in a more extended form or of increased capacity'and showing some of the mold-covers thrown back. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section showing the manner of packing the mold. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the manner of using the apparatus in the operation of upholstering. Fig. 7 represents a tufted cushion-section ready to be applied to an article of furniture. Fig. 8 represents the operation of upholstering a couch with cushions prepared in our apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a mold or former that may have any dimensions and any shape suited to the size and desired conformation of the cushion or part of a cushion to be made. The mold 1 is divided by vertical partitions 2, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, into a series of tufting-compartments 3, that may be of equal or varying sizes, as preferred. While the sides and bottom of the mold are most conveniently made from wood, it may be preferable to make the vertical partitions 2 from metal plates that can be easily engaged in grooves 4, Fig. 3, provided for that purpose in the sides of the mold. In the bottom of each mold-compartment 3 there is pro vided a slot 5, adjacent to one side of one of the partitions 2, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, or instead of the slot it may be preferable to provide a series of perforations 6, as shown in Fig. 4.

The mold or former l is provided with a sectional cover '7, having its separately-hinged parts or sections spaced apart or placed at such intervals as will provide intervening slots or spaces 8 in the top of the closed mold corresponding in position with the slots 5 or perforations 6 in the bottoms of the mold-compartments. Each cover-section 7 may have its outer side securely braced by a strip or strips 9, Figs. 1 and 2, to resist strain when the cover is fastened down onto the filled or packed mold. The closed cover-sections may be securely fastened down by means of spring-catches 10 of any approved construction.

In Fig. 2 our upholstering device is shown as an oblong rectangular mold having therein only a single series of tufting-compartments 3, whereby the mold is adapted to the production of a lengthened cushion-section co1nposed of a single series of tufts of the character shown in Fig. 7, several of these cushion-sections being ordinarily employed in the work of upholstering such an article of furniture as a couch, for instance. lVe would not be confined, however, to a mold or former having only a single series of tufting-compartments, for, as shown in Fig. 4, there may be comprised in one and the same moldframe several series of compartments, so as to permit in one operation the giving of any desired width to the cushion or to a mattress produced by the use of this apparatus. When vided in the sectional mold-covers.

several series of compartments 3 are provided in the. mold or former, the partitions 2 will be associated with other partitions 11, that may extend longitudinally of the mold, as shown in Fig. 4, while the partitions 2 extend transversely. The direction in which the partitions are extended is, however, immaterial, for we would have it understood that the compartments 3 may be rectangular,dian1ondshaped, or of any other convenient and desir-.

able form, according to the requirements of the upholsterin g work. Where there are several series of compartments in a mold, there will be provided in the bottom of each mold a series of perforations 12, Fig. 4, adjacent to one side of each partition 11, and corresponding series of perforations 13"wi1l be pro- For the production of cushions to be used in the upholstering of couches or lounges and the like it be" preferable to have the end compartments of the mold somewhat longer than the intermediate compartments, but this may boa matter of taste or of special requirements in the particular purposes to which the cushions or cushion sections are to be ap plied. Obviously the several compartments in the mold or former may be of equal or valying-dimensions, according to the require ments o'fthe upholstering work. The'height of thepartitions separating the compartments will be'less than the depth of the mold, so

that there will be sufficient spaceabove said partitions for the intervening portions of upholstering material when the sectional moldcovers'are fastened down.

In'usin'g this upholstering apparatus the hinged and sectional mo1d covers-7 are unlatched and thrown back. A sufficient quantity of' cotton-batting or other. suitable material 14, Figs. 5'and 6, is then laid along in-the consecutive mold-compartments and across the tops ofthe partitions to completely line the bottoms and sides of these compartments,

into'whichthe batting may be pressed with the fingers or otherwise. The compartments of the "mold are then supplied with due quan- I mattress-needle 17, Fig. 6, suitable cord or.

thread 18 will then be passed by way of the slots '5 and 8' or through the perforations '6 12 13, as the case'may be, into and through the upholstering material, so as to secure the parts together in properly-tufted condition throughout the length and breadth of the cushion,"which is meanwhile firmly held, by

V and well-known means.

It will be seen by reference to the drawings that in passing the needle upward through the slots 5 or through the perforations 6 12,

asthe case may be, the closely-adjacent mold partitions will serve as unerring guides along which'the point of the needle can be easily and quickly directed with no danger of piercing the batting or carrying the thread through the same until the top of the partition is passed, and then the needle will put the attached thread or cord directly through'the upholstering material in position for knotting the cord and completing the tuft without drawing or puckering the fabric unevenly. Thus the location of. the needle-passages in close proximity toone side of each mold-partition will-make it easy to carry on the operation of tufting very rapidly and with neatness and accuracy. This, too, will greatly reduce the labor and cost of cushion manufacture.

Theconstruction and arrangement of the apparatus in all its various parts are such that a cushion of any softness or hardness can be easily produced according to the degree of compactness with which the material is placed in the mold, while the pressure exerted by the spring-latched sectional covers will securely hold the cushion in the desired shape until thetufting is completed.

What we claim as our invention is- 1. In an upholstering apparatus, the combination with a mold or former comprising a series of tufting-compartments separated by partitions and provided in the bottom of each compartment with needle-passages at one side of the partitions, of a sectional cover adapted to be fastened down over the moldcompart ments and provided with needle-passages, substantially as described.

2. In an upholstering apparatus, the combination with'a mold or former comprising a series of tufti-ng-compartments separated by partitions of less height than the depth of the mold, of a hinged cover adapted to be fastened down over said compartments, the said cover and the mold-bottom being each provided with needle-passages adjacent to one side of each of said partitions, whereby the partitions serve as guides for a needle, substantially as described.

3. In an upholstering apparatus, the combination with a mold or former comprising a series of tufting-compartments, and partitions IIO of less height than the depth of said mold, of a sectional hinged cover provided With springcatches, the said cover and the mold-bottom being each provided with needle-passages adjacent to one side of each of said partitions, substantially as described. a

4. In an upholstering apparatus, the combination with a mold or former comprising several series of trifling-compartments separated by partitions of less height than the depth of the mold, of a cover composed of spaced-apart and hinged sections provided With fastening devices, and the said mold being provided in its bottom and cover with needle-passages located adjacent to one side of each partition, substantially as described.

Witnesses to the signatures of William J. Kelly, Thomas F. Kelly, and Peter 11. Kelly:

GEO. F. SKINNER, JOHN BRENNAN.

Witnesses to the signature of Joseph A. Kelly:

F. B. KEEFER, ROBERT EVERETT, 

